Skipping Stones
by TheMistyLion
Summary: "That's it." I turned over to grab Oliver's arm and haul him up to his feet. "If you don't stop laughing, I'm gonna throw you into the pond!" Onesided!LenxOliver One-shot for a request. COMPLETED


On the best day of my life, I hit a duck with a rock. No, don't look at me like that! I'm not some kind of crazy duck-killer… Well anyways, I was trying to skip a stone on the still surface of the pond in the middle of Akiyama Park. And I hit a passing duck instead.

Oliver thought it simply hysterical. After leaning forward and waiting to see if the duck was all right, he turned, let out a small puff of air, and laughed at me for a good minute. Of course he did. He found _everything_ hilarious. His entire character turned on an axis made of happiness, giggles, and smiles. A demeanor that reminded me of peaches: Soft and fuzzy on the outside, and _still_ soft and amiable on the inside. Such an impossible combination to find in someone.

I was lucky to have him as my best friend.

"Len! How in the world did you hit that duck? You weren't even aiming in that direction…!" He wiped a tear from his single showing eye. His other eye was covered by a white medical patch. Even though my sister Rin comes pretty close, Oliver's the only person I've ever known who can turn laughing into crying.

After coming out of the shock the blow hurled it into, the indignant duck let out an angry squawk, shook its feather-covered head, and swam off in a huff. Ripples chased after it, swirling.

"Oliver, stop it." I tossed down the smooth rock I was planning to throw into the pond next. With my rotten luck, I'd probably hit another bird… With my luck I'd probably hit Oliver! It took me a second to realize, as I looked down, that I had dropped the rock on my—

"AH, F- _UDGE!_ " I dropped to the ground and grabbed my foot as if I could squeeze away the pain through my shoe. That stone was a lot harder than it looked! Oliver started to laugh again as he plopped down on the pond's bank beside me, crossing his legs.

"You know, Len," he said between snickers, "You should _really_ be more careful when making _ducks_ and drakes. You could've injured yourself!"

I gritted my teeth and jerked my head at my foot. "Ya think?!"

He only grinned, and I had to smile a little back. What? It was contagious!

He reached over, grabbing the rock from where it fell, and looked back at the calm water. The stone slipped from his right hand to his left and back again.

Glancing at me, he asked, "See any duckies? I'd like to throw this."

I groaned as he started to snigger again with his yellow saffron-colored eye squeezed shut. He shoulders shook as he clearly tried to get control of himself. I was trying with all my might not to burst into full-out guffaws too, because that would only make him worse.

"Len… have you ever played _Duck…_ on a _Rock…_?" He gasped out, holding up the rock.

"That's it." I turned over to grab Oliver's arm and haul him up to his feet. "I'm gonna throw you into the water if you don't stop laughing."

"Okay, okay! I'll stop!" He put his hands up in surrender. "Don't push me in!"

Instead of letting him go, I shifted my hands to grab his shoulders and continued to pull the younger boy towards the pond. Good thing he wasn't wearing any shoes.

"Wha— Hey! Stop!" Oliver flailed his arms and tried to wrench away from my grip, only slipping on the grass even more. "Let go! I'm not laughing anymore!"

"Oh, well, I can fix that," I said loudly, quickly moving my hands once more and tickling him under his arms.

"No, Le— AHAHAHAHAHA! Len! D- _don't_! St-AHP!" He squirmed helplessly under my firm hands.

"Don't stop? Oh, okay!" I smirked as I tickled him even more, moving to his stomach and neck. He bent over and shook with laughter. I moved with him. We were closer to the edge of the muddy bank then ever…

"You're laughing now! I'm gonna push you in~" I lied with a grin.

"NO!" Oliver suddenly jerked away hard and broke free of my grasp, and began to fall right into…! I jumped forward and snatched at his arm, missing just by an inch. Grabbing nothing but air, I instinctively windmilled my arms to get myself back upright again as I heard a loud _Sploosh._

"Oliver!?"

"…Len…" Landing right on his backside, he was completely soaked even though the water was shallow. His breathing was hoarse, and he wasn't smiling anymore. He actually looked like he was about to cry…

"Oliver, I'm so sorry!" I didn't even hesitate before splashing into the low water. The abrupt cold made me suck in a short hiss. "I really didn't mean to—"

"Just stop." He leaned to the right, and extended his left arm in the same direction, trying to stand up without getting even wetter, which I didn't think was possible. I tried to help him up, but he wouldn't let me. Humiliated tears beaded at the corner of his eye, threatening to spill over.

"Oliver, c'mon. It was an accident. I really didn't mean to…"

He stumbled and almost fell back in the water, but I caught him that time. I grabbed both of his hands and pulled him straight up.

"I said stop…!"

"Oliver, I—"

"Let go." The tears finally escaped and he blinked furiously, most likely trying to make them stop rolling down his cheeks. He stopped resisting me and just stood there in the water that reached above our ankles. Where did that cheerful kid go? Why does he look so completely… depressed? The whole mood of my day had entirely turned around.

I slowly released his hands. I didn't want to make it any worse, but, to my surprise, Oliver grabbed my fingers again and squeezed them.

"Huh?"

He sniffed while muttering something about water. It was kind of cute the way he averted his gaze like that while clutching my hands.

Cute…

For a second, all rational thoughts flew out my ears as I leaned forward and unconsciously, gently, pressed my lips against his. They were warm, tasting like something familiar. Something inside my chest fluttered then surged with content. I quickly pulled away first so he wouldn't have the chance to.

It suddenly sunk in what I had just did.

 _Wha— WAIT! Did I really just do that?!_ I saw a blush creep across his face as he lifted one hand and touched his mouth, openly staring at me with his wide eye. _Oh, NO_. I _did! Why—? Why—?_

To my surprise, Oliver's face became unreadable as he reached up and laid his palms on the front of my shoulders.

"Eh?"

He gave a quick smile before hooking one foot around my ankle, pulling, and forcefully shoving me down in the water. I was so flabbergasted I couldn't even think. Maybe that's why I didn't even _try_ to get away. He held me underwater for only a few seconds, but it felt like hours as the air leaked out of my pained lungs in tiny torrents of bubbles. When he finally let me go, I was just as drenched as he was. I gasped for breath as he got back on his feet and furiously pointed at me.

"That's for kissing me, you freak!"

Then he doubled over in laughter.

I sat in the water with one thought in my baffled head :

 _I kissed Oliver._


End file.
